The most powerful mage

[Nesh]

How powerful would the most powerful mage be? If you could create one. What could he do? Could he use a telekinesis like ability to throw people around? Choke them? Will them to die?

[Ward.]

Yes to all of the above.

[Tempest Fennac]

If you're refering to D&D Arcane Casters, they can already do pretty much anything, which is why a lot of people see Wizards as being overpowered (some spells, such as the Polymorph line and Celerity can be ridiculous).

[CASTLEMIKE]

Kind of like Elminster in the Forgotten Realms but better.

[Illiterate Scribe]

Kind of like Elminster in the Forgotten Realms but better.

Elminster? Pah. He's rubbish.

Given unlimited power (read: levels), it's likely that the most powerful character EVAR (barring infinite pun-pun-esque loops) would be the warforged/elan psion who lives forever in a single moment manufacturing an arbitrarily large volume of quintessence.

[Tsotha-lanti]

The most powerful mage would have the Epic Spellcasting feat, obviously.

That's all.

[GoC]

Kind of like Elminster in the Forgotten Realms but better.

Like Tippy Wizards?

[Bauglir]

The most powerful mage could do anything, because he'd be a 21st level caster using the Omniscificer loop to boost Spellcraft. The first thing he'd do is make a spell that made him unkillable from damage and allowed him to stay conscious at any HP total and was instantaneous. The second thing would be to create a spell that churns out gold at a never-ending rate. The third would be to purchase a Thought Bottle, and the fourth would be to create a plane with accelerated time such that he can research and cast any spell within seconds.

[Dr Bwaa]

Like Tippy Wizards?

Yes. What he does is truly horrifying.

[sikyon]

The most powerful non-epic non looping mage:

He can never be surprised or ambushed. He always goes first. If he gets in trouble he can take a free action to teleport away. Whenever he comes to a fight he teleports away his secret hideout that can't be scryed on even by the gods, and can't be found. He rests for the day getting all the exact spells he needs to defeat the challenge and then he goes back.

In short he is invulnerable and infinitly adaptable.

Ala batman.

[JaxGaret]

How powerful would the most powerful mage be?

It's over 9000, obviously; his power is maximum.

If you could create one.

I certainly can.

What could he do?

Only what I make him do.

Could he use a telekinesis like ability to throw people around? Choke them? Will them to die?

Yep.

[KelthirEnelmiel]

How powerful would the most powerful mage be? If you could create one. What could he do? Could he use a telekinesis like ability to throw people around? Choke them? Will them to die?

It would be less of a will issue and more of 'oh, today's been dull, ah, a fly' then follow by the wiping out of the existence of the poor soul denoted as as the fly, whether a peasant, Elminister, or even a God, it would be nothing to restrucutre time and space so the individual never existed, one of the ultimate epic spells. Inevitably, you would also be entirely immune to the side effects of rewriting history so as to be without that person.

The ultimate power, to restructure time and space at your will! Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!

Oh, wait, I'm not supossed to be the villain, oh well, with that power good and evil seems to be more of your chosing, and less of a general consensus.

[Nesh]

Ahh, I see.

But which would be more powerful - a level 40 psion or a level 40 wizard? Or could a psion be more powerful than a wizard at some other level? (high levels, not a temporary "better level" in the low levels..)

And could a psion do the same things as the wizard? Could he maybe do more? Would it be a bit more effective, since he only needs to use his mind?

[JaxGaret]

But which would be more powerful - a level 40 psion or a level 40 wizard?

Depends on the builds.

Or could a psion be more powerful than a wizard at some other level? (high levels, not a temporary "better level" in the low levels..)

Yes, a Psion could be more powerful than a Wizard, depending on the builds.

And could a psion do the same things as the wizard?

A Psion can do some of the same things as the Wizard.

Could he maybe do more?

Depends on splatbook access, and your definition of "more".

Would it be a bit more effective, since he only needs to use his mind?

If you are using Psionic/Magic Transparency, Psionics is no more or less inherently effective than Magic in general.

[Emperor Tippy]

Seeing as epic psionics is exactly the same as epic spell casting a level 40 psion and a level 40 wizard can be equally powerful as they can do the exact same things.

[Chronos]

To cover the examples in the OP, Telekinesis is a fifth-level spell, and can throw people around using the "combat maneuver" option, and Finger of Death is a seventh-level spell, and basically amounts to the mage willing the target to die. I don't know of any spell which works by choking the target, but Crisis of Breath is a 3rd-level psionic power which does the trick. A wizard could probably research a spell version of that, or if nothing else simulate it with Limited Wish, a 7th-level spell (though he would probably have better options for a Limited Wish). So a 13th-level wizard, less than two thirds of the way through the normal (non-epic) level progression, can easily do all three of those things.

[de-trick]

It's over 9000, obviously; his power is maximum.

You beat me to the punch but

The power level of both the the wizard and pisonic depends on spells chosen

[monty]

The power level of both the the wizard and pisonic depends on spells chosen

Which is why Batman wizards always win.

[Emperor Tippy]

Which is why Batman wizards always win.

Except once epic casting comes into play. Epic Powers are created using the exact same system as Epic Spells. And everything besides those are irrelevant.

[JaxGaret]

Seeing as epic psionics is exactly the same as epic spell casting a level 40 psion and a level 40 wizard can be equally powerful as they can do the exact same things.

That's interesting, I never even thought about Epic Manifestation before.

Here's the link in case anyone is interested: Epic Psionic Powers.

There is one difference that I can see, this bit on the bottom:

Factor: Psicraft DC Modifier

SEED within primary discipline: -5

Hide visual display (epic psionic seeds substitute one Vi display for V and S components): +4

Does that -5 to the DC give Epic Manifesters an edge? I'm not too familiar with Psionics or Epic Spellcasting, tbh.

[JaxGaret]

Except once epic casting comes into play. Epic Powers are created using the exact same system as Epic Spells. And everything besides those are irrelevant.

That's not exactly true. A 21st level Epic spellcaster only gets to cast 2 Epic spells per day. It's a big power boost, but it doesn't make 9th level casting immediately irrelevant.

[Emperor Tippy]

Does that -5 to the DC give Epic Manifesters an edge? I'm not too familiar with Psionics or Epic Spellcasting, tbh.

Not really. Seeing as everything should be mitigated down to a DC of 0 the Psion/Wizards spellcraft/psicraft score is irrelevant.

That's not exactly true. A 21st level Epic spellcaster only gets to cast 2 Epic spells per day. It's a big power boost, but it doesn't make 9th level casting immediately irrelevant.

I only need 3 spells created, and even then you actually really only need 2 (it just takes longer). One to summon solars and an Uber Origin of the Species.

[EvilElitest]

Elminster? Pah. He's rubbish.

Given unlimited power (read: levels), it's likely that the most powerful character EVAR (barring infinite pun-pun-esque loops) would be the warforged/elan psion who lives forever in a single moment manufacturing an arbitrarily large volume of quintessence.

Except the writer, i mean DM, i mean the entire universe loves him and won't let him die
Least favorite character in FR. Ever
from
EE

[JaxGaret]

Not really. Seeing as everything should be mitigated down to a DC of 0 the Psion/Wizards spellcraft/psicraft score is irrelevant.

Oh, okay. I'll take your word for it

I only need 3 spells created, and even then you actually really only need 2 (it just takes longer). One to summon solars and an Uber Origin of the Species.

How do those two Epic spells make 9th level casting irrelevant?

[Chronos]

Eh, you still need to defend yourself for the time it takes you to summon enough solars to do whatever it is you're doing with them. 9th-level spells would be useful for that.

[PirateMonk]

How do those two Epic spells make 9th level casting irrelevant?

Summoning Solars allows you to mitigate epic spell DC away; Origin of species gives you any epic spell you can imagine at will as an extraordinary ability.

Edit- Epic psions do have a slight disadvantage, in that Psionic Genesis doesn't allow altered time traits, so one must hire someone to cast the arcane version or make do with summoning all those Solars in real time.

[Emperor Tippy]

How do those two Epic spells make 9th level casting irrelevant?

You make an epic spell to summon a monster with spell casting. Couatl's are generally a good starting point as they cast as 5th level sorcerers. The unmitigated DC to permanently summon 1 is 150. Or a casting time of 10 minutes and 15 casters sacrificing a 5th level slot each.

Day 1 you cast the spell twice, gaining 2 Couatl's that can sacrifice 5th level spell slots for ritual magic. After 15 days you have 30 Couatl's, which provide enough spell slots to mitigate away the DC to permanently summon a solar. Repeat until you have a bunch of solars. Make a new spell that summons multiple solars (which can sacrifice 9th level spell slots).

After a hundred days you have enough solars to mitigate away a DC of 25,090.

Making an Origin of the Species with every ability you can think of as a free action at will ability only runs about 20K (the saved spell is on another hard drive though). Were talking at will, free action, teleports, timestops, immunity to all magic, all ability scores at at least 100, and a ton of other things.

Once you have your Uber form, spells and powers are irrelevant.

[JaxGaret]

You make an epic spell to summon a monster with spell casting. Couatl's are generally a good starting point as they cast as 5th level sorcerers. The unmitigated DC to permanently summon 1 is 150. Or a casting time of 10 minutes and 15 casters sacrificing a 5th level slot each.

Where are the rules for using other casters to fuel your Epic spellcasting?

Day 1 you cast the spell twice, gaining 2 Couatl's that can sacrifice 5th level spell slots for ritual magic. After 15 days you have 30 Couatl's, which provide enough spell slots to mitigate away the DC to permanently summon a solar. Repeat until you have a bunch of solars. Make a new spell that summons multiple solars (which can sacrifice 9th level spell slots).

After a hundred days you have enough solars to mitigate away a DC of 25,090.

Neat.

Making an Origin of the Species with every ability you can think of as a free action at will ability only runs about 20K (the saved spell is on another hard drive though). Were talking at will, free action, teleports, timestops, immunity to all magic, all ability scores at at least 100, and a ton of other things.

Once you have your Uber form, spells and powers are irrelevant.

I didn't think that Origin of the Species gave you control over the creation - wouldn't it be just as likely to kill you as to let you inhabit its body?

[Collin152]

Ritual casting, creatures so created are Friendly to you.

[Emperor Tippy]

Where are the rules for using other casters to fuel your Epic spellcasting?

In the creating epic spells section of the SRD.

I didn't think that Origin of the Species gave you control over the creation - wouldn't it be just as likely to kill you as to let you inhabit its body?

Thats why they have Loyalty (ex): Any creature with this ability is mindlinked to Emperor Tippy and will obey any order Emperor Tippy gives, even obviously self destructive ones, with no save.

Always remember it.